Final NASA Shuttle Mission Over, Atlantis Enters ‘Retirement’

It’s a bittersweet time for those of us who care about NASA — the final shuttle mission has ended, the crew is safe at home. Now, we’re left with some uncertainty about what’s next for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Though the official press releases published by NASA are hopeful, many people are less than optimistic. For some, the final shuttle mission is just one of the signs that the United States is suffering from severe economic instability.

Now that the final shuttle mission is over, the shuttle used in the mission — the Atlantis — is now being prepared for its ‘retirement’. This basically means that the shuttle will enter a processing facility, where it will be prepped for display at the Kennedy’s Visitor Complex.

Hopefully, the private sector will be able to inject some hope into the future of manned spaceflight.